Amphorae
Museum Amphorae The Greek word ‘amphora’ (Amphoreus or Amphiphoreus) is formed by combining the word ‘Phoros’—derived from the Amphi meaning ‘mutual’ or ‘two-sided’ and the verb Pherein meaning ‘to carry’—with the verb ‘to carry’. At the Asmadan Museum, you can see a small selection of amphorae, as well as a map illustrating their journey along the Anatolian coastline. The term ‘amphora’ (Amphiphoreus) first appears in the works of Homer, the epic poet who recounted the Trojan War. In Troy, long before Homer’s time, double-handled jars exceeding 50 cm in height have been found in the second settlement layer, dated to the 3rd millennium BC. The oldest amphorae in our museum, however, date from the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. From the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC, the development of trade in the Eastern Mediterranean—encompassing Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Cyprus, Crete and Egypt—led to the widespread use of commercial vessels designed for long-distance transport, giving rise to the need to develop a form of vessel specifically suited to this purpose. Double-handled amphorae, characterised by an egg-shaped body, a narrow mouth and a rather short neck, first began to appear along the coasts of northern Lebanon and Syria. The amphorae in our museum, however, have pointed bases. From the 8th century BC onwards, the Greeks replaced the Phoenicians in Mediterranean trade. It was during this period that amphorae took on the forms familiar to us today. From the 6th century BC onwards, Chios (Sakız), Samos (Sisam), Lesbos (Midilli), Klazomenai (Urla İskelesi) and Miletus exported their wine and olive oil to colonies along the coasts of the Mediterranean, Aegean and Black Seas in their distinctive amphorae. The Mediterranean amphorae in our museum were also used for the same purpose. Bengodi Butik Hotel – CTA Book Now Your dream holiday awaits you Experience unforgettable moments in our rooms where comfort and luxury come together. Book now and take advantage of our special offers. Book Now Call Us Superior Service 24/7 Support Free Cancellation Right Edit Template
The Origin of the Vineyard
Museum The Origin Of The Vineyard “Noah took up farming and planted a vineyard. He drank some of the wine he had made and got drunk.” Genesis 9:20–21 The Torah, the Holy Book of Judaism, identifies Eastern Anatolia and Mount Ararat as the oldest region where viticulture was practised. According to findings from archaeological studies conducted in recent years, the domesticated grapevine species known as ‘Vitis vinifera’ was cultivated during the Neolithic period—that is, approximately 9,000 years ago—across a region stretching from the Caucasus to Thrace. It has also been established that vine cultivation took place in around 40 regions across Anatolia during the same period. The fertile Mesopotamian region, irrigated by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, is home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in Anatolia, and perhaps even the world. A wine trade route was established along these rivers, following their course as far as the land of Babylon, and wines from Eastern Anatolia were transported along this route as far as the Indian Ocean thousands of years ago. “IN VINO VERITAS”: The author of the quote displayed at the entrance to our museum is the great Roman scholar Pliny the Elder, who lived between 23 and 79 AD. Pliny, who is also the author of the 37-volume ‘Historia Naturalis’ (Natural History) – regarded as the first book of its kind in history – is the person who coined this historical phrase. Bengodi Butik Hotel – CTA Book Now Your dream holiday awaits you Experience unforgettable moments in our rooms where comfort and luxury come together. Book now and take advantage of our special offers. Book Now Call Us Superior Service 24/7 Support Free Cancellation Right Edit Template
The Vineyard’s Journey
Museum The Vineyard’s Journey For the first time in the land where the vine originated, we have chronicled 9,000 years of the vine and the grape in our museum. When we speak of 9,000 years, we are referring to the ancient history of the region where the vine was domesticated. For the plant’s homeland comprises Georgia, Armenia, Iran and Turkey. Only these four countries can recount such a long historical journey. We consider ourselves very fortunate to live on one of these lands. “It was only when people learnt to grow vines and olives that they emerged from barbarism.” Unlike cereals, viticulture and olive cultivation are disciplines that require a considerable body of knowledge. Whilst with cereals it is sufficient simply to sow the seeds, viticulture requires work for ten months of the year. For this reason, viticulture is a highly specialised discipline. We therefore wanted to showcase this discipline in our museum. The history of the vine is the history of civilisation, and indeed of art. The art of pottery in Anatolia and Thrace, which began 8,000 years ago, developed with the aim of preserving the miraculous products of the vine and the grape. In other words, the art of pottery owes its development to the vine and its fruit. The grapevine begins its life as Vitis Sylvestris, or the wild vine, and, according to current knowledge, was first domesticated—that is, brought into cultivation—in Georgia at the beginning of the 7th millennium BC, thus giving rise to Vitis Vinifera. From there, this domesticated vine would spread via Armenia, Iran and Anatolia, via the island of Crete, throughout the Mediterranean region some 3,000 years ago. Bengodi Butik Hotel – CTA Hemen Rezervasyon Yapın Hayalinizdeki Tatil Sizi Bekliyor Konfor ve lüksün buluştuğu odalarımızda unutulmaz anlar yaşayın. Şimdi rezervasyon yapın, özel fırsatlardan yararlanın. Rezervasyon Yap Bizi Arayın Üstün Hizmet 7/24 Destek Ücretsiz İptal Hakkı Edit Template
Dionysus: The Twice-Born God
Museum Dionysus: The Twice-Born God Dionysus, the god of wine and plants (grapes), of madness, of the uncontrollable forces of nature and of mysteries, is a god who originated in the Thracian lands on which we stand. There are many myths surrounding the birth of Dionysus. The most common myth goes as follows: Dionysus is the son of Zeus and Semele, the daughter of Cadmus, the founder of Thebes. When Hera learnt that Semele was pregnant by her own husband, Zeus, she, overcome with jealousy, tricked Semele into seeing Zeus in his divine form. Semele had made Zeus promise to grant her any wish, and subsequently suggested the very thing Hera had demanded. Zeus appears to her in a blaze of lightning, and Semele dies in the flames. Zeus removes the unborn child from the woman’s womb before it is consumed by the fire, sews it into his own thigh, and, when the time comes, brings about the birth of Dionysus. This explains why Dionysus is referred to as the “twice-born god”. Fearing Hera, Zeus entrusts the infant, named Dionysus, to Hermes. Hermes takes the infant to Ino, Semele’s sister. In response, Hera drives Ino and Athamas mad as a punishment. After Ino and Athamas were driven mad, Dionysus was entrusted to Papposilenos (the Chief Silenus) and the Nymphs of the Nysa Valley. The nymphs, water spirits, abducted the infant Dionysus from Hera and brought him to the ancient city of Nysa, located in Western Anatolia, in the vicinity of present-day Aydın / Sultanhisar, in the Great Menderes River Valley, and raised him in the fertile lands of the Aegean Region, irrigated by the Menderes River and adorned with vineyards and olive groves. Dionysus is regarded as the god of nature, the grape, the vine, intoxication, and even theatre. He featured in festivals aimed at achieving a joyful union with nature. In Athens, the Rural Dionysia were held at the end of December, the City Dionysia in late spring, the Anthestheria in early spring, and the Lenaia in January. These festivals took place within the context of the birth and death of nature. According to them, this god of nature had spent the winter in slumber and awoken in spring; the people celebrated his awakening and his subsequent death in autumn as a religious festival. During these festivals, people would abandon themselves to unrestrained intoxication amidst the sounds of drums and trumpets and the melodies of flutes. Bengodi Butik Hotel – CTA Book Now Your dream holiday awaits you Experience unforgettable moments in our rooms where comfort and luxury come together. Book now and take advantage of our special offers. Book Now Call Us Superior Service 24/7 Support Free Cancellation Right Edit Template
Dionysus II
Museum Dionysos II: The Secrets of Nature Dionysus, the god of nature, brings joy to mankind and frees them from their sorrows. Those who worship Dionysus come to understand him through ecstasy. At the same time, Dionysus is the god of an emotional exuberance that gives the sense of mental powers being set in motion and the dissolution of one’s everyday identity. In depictions, he is shown living amidst nature in its most vivid form—in the mountains, in the forests, and alongside wild animals. He embodies the changing seasons of nature in his very being. What God truly symbolises is the relationship between humanity and nature, and it is a magical power that grants humanity access to the mysteries of nature. The cult of Dionysus continued in Hellenistic Greece, albeit with various differences. In Rome, however, Dionysus took the name Bacchus, and the Bacchanalia festivals were held in honour of the god. Dionysus was identified with the Roman god of the fields, Liber Pater, and the cult of the god began to spread after the 2nd century BC. Among the symbols of the god known as Bacchus, who was identified with Liber Pater in Rome, are the cista mystica—a chest containing mystical objects used in the cult—and the thyrsos (ϑυρσός); a two-handled wine vessel kantharos (κανϑάρος); the nartheks (νάρϑηξ) in which Prometheus brought fire to mankind; the phallus (φαλλός), symbolising fertility; the serpent, representing rebirth and wisdom; and the cradle of the infant Dionysus. Bengodi Butik Hotel – CTA Book Now Your dream holiday awaits you Experience unforgettable moments in our rooms where comfort and luxury come together. Book now and take advantage of our special offers. Book Now Call Us Superior Service 24/7 Support Free Cancellation Right Edit Template
The World’s Oldest Wine Shipwrecks: Uluburun and Gelidonya
Museum The World’s Oldest Wine Shipwrecks: Uluburun and Gelidonya The Phoenicians were the first seafarers of the Mediterranean. They established a trade route starting from Egypt and Lebanon, and along this route they transported many commercial goods westwards, that is, to Europe. One of these was undoubtedly wine. The part of this trade relating to Anatolia can be seen on the map in our museum. Throughout history, the October winds have blown fiercely across the Mediterranean, posing a great danger to ships. Withstanding these winds proved difficult; 3,000-year-old Phoenician merchant ships, laden with goods and amphorae of wine, have been lost at sea along the Mediterranean coast. The locations of these historic wrecks can be seen on the maps at the Asma Wine History Museum. The Gelidonya Burnu wreck, which sank off the coast of Antalya 3,400 years ago after being caught in a storm, was carrying a large number of amphorae filled with wine. We invite you to visit the Asmadan Museum of Viticulture History to discover the story of this wreck and many others. Among the artefacts recovered from a Phoenician ship that sank to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea near Kaş Uluburun some 3,300 years ago is a gold wine cup. We look forward to welcoming you to the Asmadan Museum of Viticulture History for this and further information. Bengodi Butik Hotel – CTA Book Now Your dream holiday awaits you Experience unforgettable moments in our rooms where comfort and luxury come together. Book now and take advantage of our special offers. Book Now Call Us Superior Service 24/7 Support Free Cancellation Right Edit Template